Claire Byrne tells RTÉ she is ‘able to struggle’

Claire Byrne has informed her former employer RTÉ to “bring it on” as she prepares to begin a brand new present on rival station Newstalk.

The presenter, who revealed final summer time that she was leaving her titular present on RTÉ Radio One to launch a brand new mid-morning programme on Newstalk, made the preventing remarks on Friday evening’s Late Late Show.

As the primary visitor of the evening, the dialog shortly turned to pay and listener numbers following some jibes from host Patrick Kielty about whether or not “the keycard still worked” at Donnybrook studios. 

Asked about her determination to go away the state broadcaster, the mom of three stated age performed a significant position.

“I turned 50 last summer, and it does make you think about where you’re going and what you’re doing,” she stated. “Are you a bit too comfy in your seat?” 

The Laois girl added that after three to 5 years in any position, she feels an urge to “move, move, move”.

“So Newstalk came along and said, ‘We have huge ambition. We want to grow the audience.’ Initially, I thought, ‘I’m grand where I am, thank you very much.’ Then I thought, why am I not going to meet this challenge? They think I can do it, why don’t I think I have the appetite for it? So I said, ‘Give it a go. Let’s do it.’” 

Asked whether or not the provide was one she “couldn’t refuse”, Byrne responded: “I suppose it was, but if I had stayed, I would have been very well paid, and I think people know that. I’ve been very honest about what I was earning at RTÉ.”

Byrne voluntarily disclosed her wage to listeners throughout her Radio One present in the course of the RTÉ fee scandal in the summertime of 2013. At the time, she was one of many state broadcasters prime paid presenters on a wage of €280,000.

Pushed by Kielty on whether or not she would have needed to take a pay reduce if she had retained her place in RTÉ, she confirmed she would have.

“Let’s not make any bones about it, that certainly was a factor. But I wasn’t going to starve if I stayed here. I was very happy here. 

“However, did I wish to attempt to stretch my chops a bit? Did I wish to attempt to push on and do one thing completely different? Yes, I all the time do. And so in the end, that was the choice I made, and I’m excited to get began.”

Byrne will take over from veteran broadcaster — and former colleague — Pat Kenny on February 3.

“Pat is an absolute icon, a legend,” she stated. “We presented together on Prime Time. Not many people remember that — myself, Miriam [O’Callaghan] and Pat.

“It is intimidating taking over his slot, but it will be a whole new show and I’m really excited to get going.” 

When asked whether she thought her former employers were “worried” ahead of her Newstalk gig, given a big shuffle of the Radio One schedule following her departure, Byrne laughed and said, “Because of me? Oh, I don’t know… however I’m up for the struggle.”

“The right answer is to say the pie is big enough for all of us,” she said. “But you know what? I’m going to Newstalk to grow the audience — so bring it on.”

“They put David there and Oliver [Callan], so I’ve received to beat the 2 of them. I like it.”

Byrne also shared that she “practically ran over” her new rival David McCullough during the week.

“I was trying to reverse into a car parking space. I was talking to somebody from the Late Late Show, hands-free!, and I did a swear word, and I said ‘I almost killed David McCullough’. There’s your story…”

Charlene McKenna on Gaiety stage play with husband

Charlene McKenna discussed returning to the stage in The Crucible at Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre in February.

The Peaky Blinders actress will star opposite her husband Adam Rothenberg in Arthur Miller’s play, which explores mass hysteria and the Salem witch trials of 1962.

“I’ve gone very method,” she quipped. “The guy playing John Proctor, my husband is my husband.” 

Kielty enquired as to the way it was “working” for the pair.

“There’s been some words, but actually, mostly, I really love it. We’re walking to work in the morning, that’s pretty romantic. I feel very blessed. I really do. I feel very blessed to be working with him. I think he’s a brilliant actor, so that’s an honor in itself.”

The actress said her American husband has also been settling into their new life at home in Monaghan.

“He speaks the language now. He understands everything. He’s sort of got his head around the constant Irish thing of just popping in, people just land, how long are they staying? You never know. Is it a week? Three minutes? No one knows.” 

She additionally commented on the “talent” of Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, who’re within the information with Hamnet’s Oscar buzz.

“It’s so great. I’ve said it before, but a rising tide lifts all boats. And I just think it’s great to see the talent that I think we’ve always had on such an international platform.” 

Amybeth McNulty on the significance of queer illustration on display screen

Amybeth McNulty, the Donegal actress who performs Vickie in Stranger Things, additionally made a visit from the Upside Down to Donnybrook on Friday evening.

The 24-year-old joined the solid in season 4, the place she entered as Robyn’s (Maya Hawke) love curiosity. The bisexual actress stated queer illustration on display screen is “everything” to her.

“I grew up as a queer child in Donegal, and I got here out on-line once I was 16/17. We had folks in my hometown going as much as my dad and mom going, ‘I’m so sorry, so sorry to hear about your daughter,’ proper?

“So it gives me more of an invigoration when I do roles like this, and when I’m able to do things like this on such a big platform.

It’s eager to do it justice and do it proper for teenagers like me rising up.

“I think it’s important. And I think especially when the queer storyline is a part of their chapter whilst they’re dealing with monsters, and you’re in the 80s and there’s all these other things going on, it doesn’t have to be about that. It’s just part of it, and I think that’s ideal.”